The British Equivalent of the Close Combat Vehicle – FRES SV –Sees a Demonstrator Model Produced
& Main Gun Type ChosenUpdate 14 Mar 2010: Although a FRES-UV purchase has been cancelled, the
Specialist Vehicle continued with General Dynamics being awarded a contract for the ASCOD 2. Similar to the CCV
requirement, seven FRES-SV trial prototypes will start trials in 2013.
The British Army equivalant of DND's CCV project is the
Future Rapid Effect System-Specialist Vehicle (FRES SV)
program consisting of armed reconnaissance Scouts and closely-related support vehicles. The Scouts will replace
existing Scimitars. Like the CCV project, there is sudden urgency behind FRES SV. [1] Unlike the CCV,
this British program has produced a technology demonstrator – the subject of this press
release. More importantly, from a Canadian viewpoint, FRES SV has its main gun
chosen.

That 'choice' of FRES SV gun was dictated by another UK vehicle program – WFLIP, the 'life
extension' of their Warrior IFV. Here, a direct parallel with CF projects can be seen. DND
is also to 're-set' an IFV, the LAV III. Logic would
suggest, as in the British example, that a choice of main
gun upgrade be made for the LAV IIIs before embarking on the CCV project. But that was not done. For the CCV
project itself, DND has merely announced to industry that it is open to either manned or remote-controlled turrets.
[2]

The British choice caught attention because the system is radical – the CT40 uses telescoping
ammunition that take up half the space of a conventional 40mm round. If the gamble on an untried system pays off,
it will have a double benefit for Britain. CTAI is a British/French joint venture [3] and FRES SV
turrets will be built in the UK.

Customer nation-produced turrets mated to Swedish-built CV90 hulls
is a typical BAE
Systems work-share arrangement. BAE has proposed a modified CV90 'platform' as a possibility for FRES SV. Such a hull would be shortened (with one fewer set
of road wheels) to better suit it to recce.

Such a highly-modified CV90 chassis would likely be assembled in Britain, increasing the amount of
domestic industrial benefits. However, it also highlights a key difference between FRES SV and CCV. Unlike CCV,
FRES SV is not an IFV (that is Warrior's role). FRES SV is a reconnaissance vehicle, a role DND hopes to fill
with much lighter TAPV. This raises the question: if an ally is
adapting an IFV design as a recce vehicle, why is DND shopping for a mine-resistant truck for recce instead of
expanding its CCV order?

[1] The Times reports that "The MoD is ... fast-tracking its decision-making process to get the
Future Rapid Effects Systems vehicles into production as quickly as possible."
[2] David Pugliese reports that the "CCV requirement is for a turret, in either a manned or unmanned
configuration, [to be] protected to the same level as the vehicle chassis".
[3] CTAI (Case Telescoped Ammunition International) is a joint venture between BAE Systems and Nexter.
Upgraded Warriors have Manned Turret Integration Programme (MTIP2) turrets which share systems but otherwise
differ from the turrets for FRES SV.News Release

BAE SYSTEMS UNVEILS CONTENDER FOR BRITISH ARMY RECCE VEHICLE

08 Sep 2009 Ref. 164/2009

LONDON, UK – BAE Systems has released the first images of its new demonstrator vehicle for
the Scout variant of the multi-billion pound UK FRES SV ( Future Rapid Effect System –
Specialist Vehicles competition. The vehicle is based on a modified version of its highly-successful
CV90 chassis with an all-new turret and cannon.

The UK-developed turret will allow accurate firing on the move, a first for a medium- calibre vehicle
weapon system in British service, while the cannon [is chambered for]a revolutionary new 40mm "cased telescoped"
design from the BAE Systems / Nexter joint venture CTAI [CTA International]. This [gun] will give much greater punch
than existing medium-calibre designs against armour, buildings and dismounted troops.

BAE Systems has delivered more than 1000 CV90 vehicles to six nations, with [over a]
hundred more on order. It is currently in service in Afghanistan with Swedish and Norwegian forces, while Denmark
will deploy [CV90s] there next year. Through these programmes, taxpayers have seen real value for money, new
jobs have been created in the customer nations and technology has been transferred successfully in each case.

Commenting on the vehicle system design, BAE Systems FRES SV Campaign Director Arne Berglund said: "Each
successive contract has resulted in further development and CV90 is a mature, fully-digitised,
very mobile, reliable and well-protected vehicle. It is ideally suited for the range of variants
required by the FRES SV programme."

"The demonstrator vehicle has allowed us to integrate complex systems and gives confidence that we
can meet the demanding UK Ministry of Defence timescales for the high-priority FRES SV programme. It
incorporates technology and learning from our very successful MTIP2 turret programme which...culminated in
a successful live firing demonstration ... from a moving Warrior vehicle against a moving
target."

FRES SV consists of three Blocks of Reconnaissance vehicles, plus Medium Armour and Manoeuvre Support.
Up to 1300 [vehicles] could be required in total. [FRES SV] Recce Block 1, which consists of Scout,
Repair, Recovery and Protected Mobility variants, is the biggest and seen as the highest
priority.